(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine and a copying machine, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function to sort out image-carrying recording paper discharged onto a tray according to different series of image-forming operations.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
An image forming apparatus is known, which reproduces on recording paper image data received through a communication line or image data obtained by image scanning, and discharges the recording paper onto a tray.
With the above image forming apparatus, in particular a facsimile machine, the image data are often reproduced when receiving persons are away from the apparatus. As a result, sheets of the recording paper having varied contents are stacked on the discharge tray (and in the case of a large office, generally, incoming facsimile messages are addressed to different workers).
Under such circumstances, the recording paper must be sorted out according to individual communications.